Seto's Treasure
by Kalira423
Summary: Seto finds a lamp, with a very attractive female genie. But someone else is after the lamp as well.
1. chapter one

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh or Treasure of the Lost Lamp. I think that much is obvious. This story takes place after Battle City. So now that I have said that, on with the story.

Seto's Treasure: Chapter one

Seto stared moodily out of the plane window as they flew over the desert sands of Egypt. It was quite boring, nothing but tan sand as far as the eye could see with pyramids sprinkling the horizon every now and then. 

"Thanks for letting us come with you Kaiba." Yugi said. 

Seto rolled his eyes in response. If he had had his way they wouldn't have come at all, but Mokuba had invited them, even Joey. 

"What do you think they found, Seto?" the little raven haired boy asked. Seto shrugged.

"I wasn't given details, although they said it would be worth my time in coming down here." He answered. Seto had received a call a few days back, from his archeological site in Egypt. The manager said that they had found something that might interest him. 

"Do you think that it could be something that has to do with those Duel Monster Cards you're looking for?" Mokuba asked. 

"After all this time, I'm not getting my hopes up." Seto answered. He had heard a rumor from Ishizu about some Duel Monster Cards similar to the god cards, and he wanted them.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Flashback*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Where can I find these cards?" Seto asked. 

"I do not know of their precise location, but I do know that they are in Egypt." Ishizu answered.

"Where in Egypt?" Seto persisted. 

"Again I do not know." She answered. "But they are there."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*End Flashback*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

After hearing about the cards, he had hired a few of the locals to set up archeological dig sites in promising places to look for these rumored cards. That had been about three years ago, and he was starting to doubt what Ishizu had said. 

"We are making out final approach." The pilot said. 

"Everyone, buckle your seatbelt." Tea advised. Their pilot was kind of crazy. He flew well in fact, he was the best around, but his landings were terrible, almost dangerous. And yet he still managed to walk away from each one unscathed. The pilot turned the plane sideways as he maneuvered the plane through a narrow space between two cliffs. They zoomed overhead of the dig site as Seto managed to get a look at it. The place that they were digging in was in the middle of what could possibly have been some type of ceremonial place. There were columns that were arranged in a circle around the dig site as the pilot maneuvered his way in and out of the columns and in the process turning the plane upside down. 

"We are nearing our final position." The pilot announced over the intercom.

"Just put the plane in the right position!" Seto shot back as the pilot headed straight for one of the columns. He pulled the nose of the plane up right as they were about to hit it, and flew up. The propellers stopped as the wings got caught on the columns. The wings slowly slid down, causing the two pillars it was wedged between to topple, causing a domino effect tipping over the other columns. The plane landed, upside down, in a cloud of dust as the people working on the dig site ran for cover. One the dust had cleared everyone exited the plane. 

"Samir!" Seto yelled, addressing the pilot. "Look what you've done to these ancient ruins." 

"Well it could have been worse." Samir replied dusting himself off casually. "It could have been something new!" Everyone rolled their eyes as Seto fought to control his temper. 

"Hurry Mr. Kaiba!" one of the archeologists said running up. "We've found something!"

  



	2. chapter two

After much grunting and a few minutes later, a chest was set in front of Seto. 

"The engraving of the Pharaoh." Seto muttered to himself as he looked at the picture depicted on the front of the chest. The chest itself was a work of art. It had what looked like a blue sunrise, with gold trim around the edges. 

"This treasure chest may very well hold three of the most powerful cards in all Duel Monsters." Seto said. Yugi and the others all exchanged excited glances ready to see these cards. Seto broke the seal and lifted the lid. Everyone's awe of wonder turned to disappointment when they saw the contents. 

"Aww, just old clothes?" Tristan asked as they looked inside. Seto said nothing as he began tossing clothes behind him, searching through the contents of the chest. Each piece he threw behind him hitting Joey squarely in the face. 

Argh!" Seto said giving a growl of annoyance. "Nothing but old robes. Three years of searching, and I end up with Egyptian dirty laundry!" He said as he threw the article of clothing in his hand roughly in the sand. 

"Well, at least the chest is pretty." Tea said. Seto gave her a murderous glare of annoyance as the locals, missing the glare, agreed with her. 

"Hey!" Yugi said. "There is something in this pocket!" Bending over and retrieving one of the discarded robes, Yugi pulled out a piece of paper, rolled up and held together by a piece of rope. Seto snatched the paper and looked at it. 

"The seal of the Pharaoh." He said as he looked at the mark on the rope. He unrolled the paper as he looked at it.

"It's a map!" he exclaimed as he rolled it back up. "Perhaps this dig isn't a lost cause after all." He muttered as he headed back to the plane. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"That's right Merlock. A treasure map, written in the Pharaohs own hands." A man by the name of Dejon said to the tall imposing figure in front of him. 

"At last, after all these centuries, the lamp will be mine again!" Merlock yelled triumphantly from his position on a cliff, overlooking the dig site. 

"Yes." The simpering servant agreed. "You will become more powerful than a locomotive, faster than a speeding bullet, and able to leap small buildings in a single town." Dejon said trying to suck up to his master. Merlock had hired Dejon, a common pickpocket, to spy on Seto's dig. Just in case he found anything worth while.

"And you shall finally have your reward for your…devious assistance." Merlock said enticingly. 

"Oh you mean it?" Dejon as happily. "My own mountain of money?" 

"Yes." Merlock agreed as Dejon did a little happy dance. 

"Now, give it to me." Merlock demanded holding out his hand. Dejon's face fell. 

"It? What it?" He asked nervously. 

"The map, give it to me." Merlock said menacingly.

"You mean that specific map? Right here, right now?" he asked trying to make it seem as though his orders weren't clear. Merlock grabbed the lanky man by the collar and held him in the air. 

"You didn't steal it?" Merlock roared.

"Too many people Merlock." Dejon objected weakly. "Only one Dejon. But…" He said quickly. "Look what I did steal. This duel monster card, this handy pocket watch, floss, Hershey bar, and two tickets to some kind of concert. For you master." He said offering the pile of junk to Merlock.

Merlock glared as he dropped the man. Dejon crumpled on the floor as the assortment of objects spilled everywhere. He looked up at the burly man pitifully. "Maybe you would like the floss?"  He asked sadly.

"Did you at least _see_ where the map leads?" Merlock asked aggravated.

"Oh yes, master, yes. Into the middle of the desert. Where the sun burns you like no tomorrow." 

"But I have searched every square inch!" Merlock argued, more with himself than Dejon. "Perhaps, this time I'll let Kaiba do the searching for me." He said stroking his mustache. 

"Oh, smart move, master. Let him boil out his brains in the sun." Dejon applauded. 

"And you will accompany him as his guide!" Merlock ordered.

"But…" Dejon complained. "I have such sensitive skin… and my brain boils so quickly." Merlock gave him a piercing stare as Dejon shrank back in fear.

"But…then again who needs brains to be a guide anyway?" he asked trying to cover up for his mistake. Merlock gave him a look as he clutched a mysterious green talisman around his neck. Green light shot out from between his fingers as he transformed himself into a huge eagle. The eagle, still wearing the talisman soared off, leaving Dejon alone to complete his duty. 

  



	3. chapter three

Seto and the others jostled along, riding their camels. Seto leading the way, with Dejon, Tea, Yugi, Mokuba, Joey and Tristan following.  It wasn't his favourite way of traveling, but he didn't want to get back in the plane with Samir again, and there really wasn't any other mode of transportation. Seto pulled his camel to a halt as he looked at the map. 

"According to the map, the entrance should be right over there, under the shadow of that cliff." 

Mokuba and the others looked around. "I don't see anything, Kaiba." Tea said. "Not even a mirage." 

"Maybe we took a wrong turn at that last sand dune." Joey said as he sped up the pace of his camel in an attempt to catch up with the rest of the group. His camel then tripped over a triangular object poking out of the sand. The camel fell forward, sending Joey flying face first into the sand. Seto turned around and rolled his eyes. 

"You stupid dog! Can't you even ride a camel without crashing it?" He asked.

Joey got up, brushing the sand out of his hair as Tristan tried to hide his laugh. 

"It wasn't my fault, Kaiba! This camel just had a fall. I bet it tripped on this lousy rock!" Joey said spying the triangular object. He gave it a kick in retaliation which only resulted in him stubbing his foot. He hopped off, nursing his injured toe as  the others got off their camels to look at it. 

"Hey, it looks like a pint sized pyramid." Mokuba commented as he, Yugi, and Tristan began digging at the base of it. 

"It's bigger than it looks." Yugi said. 

"I wonder what could be inside." Tristan said aloud. 

"There is only one way to find out." Seto said as he tossed them shovels. Everyone started digging except for Dejon. Seto shoved a shovel in the sand at his feet as he glared at him.

"Start digging!" he commanded as Dejon made a face, grabbed the shovel, and started to dig along with everyone else. A few hours later, they had finally reached the entrance. Everyone was exhausted as they looked at the huge pyramid. An eagle, wearing a green talisman, soared over head, landing on the top of the pyramid as he watched them with interest. Seto stepped forward as he traced his finger along the hieroglyphics. 

"If I read these markings correctly. We may have found an entrance." He twisted a small circle as the door rose. Seto walked in and lit a torch. 

"Alright. Let's go." He instructed as they headed it. Tristan and Joey dragging Dejon. 

"But the camels will be lonesome!" Dejon complained as he was dragged in. 

"Do you think we'll see a mummy?" Tea asked in a small voice. 

"Stay close Mokuba." Seto said to his little brother. "No telling what kind of dangers we may find." Joey walked ahead confidently as he stepped on a square button on the floor. A jet of fire spurted out, narrowly missing Joey. Joey fell over in surprise as Tristan, and Yugi rushed forward. They bent down, looking at the button and pressed it again. Another flame shot out as they looked at it in amazement. 

"It's a booby trap." Tristan said. 

"How do you suggest that we avoid those? I bet this entire pyramid is covered with them." Tea asked.

"I suggest that we stay alert and use rocks to trigger them." Yugi suggested. 

"Look there's another one." Mokuba said pointing. Seto picked up a rock and tossed it. The rock depressed the button as a mace shot out, hitting the opposite wall. 

"Oh, that looks like it would have hurt!" Dejon commented as Seto shoved the torch in his hand. 

"Just do you job and keep the light ahead of us, _guide!" He then gave the trembling man a shove forward as he cautiously walked forward. _

"Keep going, Dejon." Joey said as he turned around to face them. 

"Would one of you guys be wanting to hold the torch?" he asked walking backwards. 

"LOOK OUT!" Joey shouted at him. Dejon spun around and saw the button he almost stepped on. He looked at it and got a flash of courage.

"Do not worry, Dejon will trip the trap." He said as he barely pushed the button with his toe. A huge wheel with spikes rolled out crossing the path. 

"Ha, you see." Dejon said confidently as the wheel landed right behind him, narrowly missing his back. Dejon jumped back, causing the group to fall. A trap door opened up as they slid down a series of twists and turns. They landed in a heap on a floor. With Dejon on the bottom and Mokuba on top. When they landed they sent small rocks flying. One bounced and landed on another button on the floor, inches in front of them.  Holding their breath to see what horror this button held, the button was depressed as a door opened up to reveal a basket of treasure, suspended in the middle of the room on top of a column, with a rope ladder crossing the distance between the column and the landing. 

  



	4. chapter four

"Wow!" Every one gasped as they looked at the glittering treasure. They rushed over the rope ladder and began looking at the treasure, examining all the various colored jewels, gold doubloons, and objects. Dejon placed the torch in a holder on the landing as he joined them. 

"Wow there are so many jewels here." Tea said as she picked up a small ruby. Tristan opened a small chest filled with gold doubloons. One rolled off the side and fell to the floor below, making a clink sound when it hit the stone floor. Tristan looked down and gave a gasp of surprise. 

"Ummm, guys, look down there!" Everyone looked at the floor below and had the same reaction as Tristan.

"Whoa, sumo wrestling scorpions!" Joey commented looking at the huge beasts staring up at them.

"Don't worry about those things, they can't get us up here." Seto replied logically. 

"The money, the rubies, the diamonds." Joey said picking up an example of each. Dejon was on the floor, picking up little gold doubloons and stashing them in his pockets as he looked up. 

"The lamp!" he gasped as he saw what Merlock had been looking for. Dejon covertly sneaked up and was about to snatch the golden lamp when Seto interrupted him.

"DEJON!" He yelled.

"What? What? I am not touching a thing! I am clean, innocent….well, except for maybe a few gold pieces." He said softly. 

"Go get us sacks." Seto said not even acknowledging his little admittance to taking a few gold coins.

"Sacks? Oh, yes, sacks. Right away Mr. Kaiba, anything you say, I do for you." He said, giving a small bow and running out of the room, a devious smile on his face. 

"What are you going to do with all this treasure Seto?" Mokuba asked. 

"I think a few museums would appreciate this kind of a find." Seto said inspecting a diamond.

"That doesn't really sound like Kaiba," Tea muttered to Yogi. 

"I'm sure they would pay big bucks for something like this." Seto added.

"That does." Yugi said to Tea. 

"Oh cool!" Mokuba said, picking up the lamp Dejon had been about to take a few minutes earlier. Seto looked over at what his brother was holding and took it, looking it over. 

"It's just an old oil lamp, hardly worth taking." Seto said. 

"Could I have it then Seto? I think it looks cool." Mokuba pleaded.

"Well…" Seto said thinking about it. 

"Of course, this is cool too." Mokuba said picking up an expensive looking crown adorned with many jewels. Seto quickly traded that lamp for the crown.

"Here Mokuba, never say your brother never gave you anything." Mokuba smiled as he hugged his brother. 

"Thanks, Seto!"

About two hours later, they had finally managed to pack up the last of the treasure into sacks. 

"That's the last of it." Yugi said as he tied the top of the sack. 

"I will take the sack over." Dejon volunteered as he picked up the large bag and slung it over his shoulder. He started walking across the rope bridge when the eagle with the talisman soared into the room. The eagle put one claw on the bag as it transformed into the massive form of Merlock. 

"Allow me." He said in a deep voice, taking the bag from Dejon and making his way across the rest of the bridge. 

"Hey who is that guy?" Mokuba asked.

"Just another…tour guide. Let me light your path." Merlock said as he took the still burning torch and set fire to the rope bridge. 

"I smell a dessert thief." Seto said, running after him. The fire burned through the rope, causing Seto and the ladder to fall. Seto hung on as it hit the side of the column. He dodged a claw from the scorpions as he climbed his way back up to where the others were. 

"You thieving dogs! That is my treasure!" Seto yelled at them, after he had climbed back up. 

"Poor fool, you shall never live so know about the real treasure you have found. Farewell." Merlock replied cryptically as he pulled down a lever. The column Seto and the others were standing on started to move slowly downward, into the waiting claws and stings of the scorpions below.  

  



	5. chapter five

"What are we going to do?" Mokuba asked as he looked over the edge of the column to stare at the floor filled with scorpions that was getting closer.

"Cut the ropes!" Seto instructed as he, Tristan, Joey and Yugi began to saw at the four ropes that held the basket to the floor. Tea and Mokuba set to work fending off the few larger scorpions that had managed to get on the column. They had just about reached the bottom when they finished. 

"It's turtle time." Joey yelled as everyone gathered under the wicker basket. 

"Forward ho!" Joey called as they moved forward and hit a wall. 

"Reverse ho!" Joey yelled again as they reversed and hit another wall.

"Left ho!" Joey cried again as they moved left. 

"If you crash us one more time, I'm going to give you the heave ho!" Seto responded angrily. They felt a weight on the top of the basket from one of the scorpions jumping on it. Luckily they made their way blindly down a path with a low ceiling, scraping the angry scorpion off their basket. They traveled a bit further then they stopped for a minute, listening.

"Do you guys here running water?" Yugi asked as they lifted one side to see. It was an underground river. 

"Quick, lets turn this over and make a boat." Yugi suggested as they flipped the basket over. Tea, Yugi and Joey got in first as Seto tossed Mokuba in as well. Tristan and Seto pushed at the basket now boat into the river. 

"Hurry, guys!" Tea yelled as the scorpions closed in on them. Seto and Tristan gave another shoved and jumped in the basket, narrowly missing a sting from the poisonous tail of the scorpions. The watched as they sailed away on the fast current; the scorpions angrily pinched their claws together, upset at their run away meal.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Dejon watched as Merlock rifled through the stolen treasure for the lamp. 

"I saw it master, it is here. Wait till you see it you will be as pleased as kid in the candy store." Dejon said as he started to tremble when Merlock glared at him. 

"Well then…" He asked menacingly tapping a heavy looking jeweled scepter in his hand. "Where is it?" he demanded. Dejon looked around confused at the scattered piles of jewels. 

"I don't understand, it must be here. It must!" He whimpered as Merlock advanced closer.

"You have it don't you?" he demanded to know as he picked up the small man by the collar. Dejon gave a frightened yelp as Merlock turned him over and shook him by the heels. Tiny gold coins fell out of his pockets along with a few other stolen assortments. After seeing that Dejon didn't have it, he righted the man and dropped him angrily.

"Where is the lamp?!" he yelled in his face.

"They must have it!" Dejon stammered. "They must! Those dirty thieves and that sweet Mokuba and Yugi. I ask you Merlock what is this world coming to?" 

"You let them steal it from you, you pathetic excuse for a pickpocket!" he yelled angrily. Merlock once again clutched at the green talisman around his neck, transforming himself into the eagle. Merlock soared off in the direction of the pyramid as Dejon watched him fly off. 

"Do not worry master I will help you get it back!" He yelled as Merlock gave a cry in answer.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Is it just me or is this current getting faster?" Tea asked as they all sat hunched together in the small makeshift boat. 

"You know, I would sure like to know where this leads." Tristan said.

Joey peeked over the edge as his eyes got wide. "I'm not so sure you do!" he replied as Tristan and the others looked to see what Joey meant. 

"We're in trouble!" Mokuba commented as they neared the fast moving current.

"Is the water getting higher? Or is the roof getting lower?" Joey asked in a high pitched voice as the groups boat was pushed underneath the water. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Merlock?" Dejon said in a frail voice to the empty cavern. "Kaiba?" Dejon walked to the edge of the landing where a few hours ago, Seto and the others had been collecting the treasure. 

"Where is everybody?" He asked aloud. He gave a yelp of surprise when Merlock grabbed him from behind. 

"They have vanished!" he said accusingly. 

"But how?" Dejon stammered. 

"With the lamp you fool!" Merlock screamed. "And you will help me get it back." Merlock ordered as he turned so that Dejon could see the huge scorpions on the ground. "Or their sting will seem like a tickle compared with mine!" he threatened. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

In an oasis, not to far away from the pyramid, in a pool of water; an overturned basket popped up. Tristan and Joey pushed the basket up as the rest of the group came up sputtering and coughing. 

"Whoa! What a ride!" Mokuba commented as they waded in the now knee deep water toward shore. 

"You know, I kinda woudn't mind doing it again. Now that I know you can live through it." Joey said as everyone rolled their eyes.

"At least we are all okay." Yugi said. 

"Speak for yourself." Seto replied as he leaned against a tree. "I just lost the treasure of the century." Mokuba looked at his upset brother as he walked toward him carrying the lamp in his hands.

"Here Seto." Mokuba said holding out the lamp. "You can at least have this back if it will make you feel better." Seto looked at the outstretched lamp in his brothers hands and gave a small smile. 

"That's alright, Mokuba." He said giving his brothers raven hair a ruffle. "It took me three years to find that treasure. And I plan on getting it back, even if it takes me another three years." 

Authors note-ok I have a comment to make for those of you who think that I have no originality concerning this story. I know that I don't! ^_^  I'm pretty much writing this story for my own personal enjoyment and if you don't want to read it. Don't. Won't bother me a bit. And I know that it seems a lot like the movie at this point, but I am adding some original ideas in here as well. So it's not going to be entirely like the movie, but it will follow that story line pretty close though. I'm not saying this trying to sound mean or rude. I just don't want reviews from people telling me that I have no originality and that my story sucks. So now that I have gotten that off my chest, thank you for listening. And I am sorry if I offended anyone that was not my intent. 

  



	6. chapter six

"Domino Press on line two Mr. Kaiba." Seto's secretary said as she entered his office, carrying a tray of food, along with a letter. 

Seto glanced at her as she entered the room. "For what?" he questioned.

"I think that they want to ask about what happened in Egypt." She said tentatively. Seto gave a growl of annoyance as he picked up the phone. 

"None of your business!" he yelled as he slammed the reciever back down. "Every time, I get my mind off how I was betrayed by that idiot Dejon, someone has to bring it back up again." He said aloud.

"Well, I might have some news that might cheer you up." The old woman said sweetly as she showed him the letter she was carrying.

"You received an invitation to some archeological society ball." She explained as Seto ran his eyes over the letter.

"How is that supposed to cheer me up?" Seto demanded with a muttering of disgust. "I don't want to have to deal with those old fossils again. Every year I have to endure from them stories of all the 'marvelous' things that they found in there dig sites and how unfortunate I am to always come up empty handed." He replied as he threw the letter down on his desk.

"But you did have something for a little while." His secretary said in an attempt to quell his rising temper.

"Must everyone remind me?" He replied angrily.

"Sorry." She said softly. 

"I can't consentrate." Seto said as he stood up suddenly and closed his laptop. "I'm going home." He said as he walked to the door and opened it.

"But what about your lunch?" his secretary asked. 

"Sell it!" he yelled back as he slammed the door behind him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ding Dong! Mokuba ran to open the front door to reveal Tea, Yugi, Tristan, and Joey. 

"Hey guys." Mokuba said as he let them in.

"Hey," they responded. 

"Here's that polish you wanted, Mokuba." Tea said as he led them into the kitchen.

"Thanks Tea. As soon as I clean up this lamp, I can find a place for it in my room." He said. The group sat down next to him at the kitchen table as he retrieved a rag to clean the lamp. 

"Hey, I heard that Kaiba's in a real bad mood today." Yugi said to Mokuba as he walked back to the table, rag in hand. 

"Where did you heard that?" Mokuba asked as he sat at a table next to Joey and Tristan.

"We heard one of the maids talking outside." Tea replied as Mokuba applied some polish to the rag.

"Yeah," Mokuba answered. "Ever since we got back, he's been real moody. I think he still mad about what happened."

"It might be a wise idea for us to stay out of his way." Yugi commented as Mokuba began to rub the rag against the lamp. The lamp gave a little jump, eliciting a small cry of surprise from Mokuba.

"What?" Tristan asked at Mokuba's cry.

"The lamp just shook!" he replied. Joey raised an eyebrow as Mokuba repeated the movement he had just done. The lamp gave another jump as everyone turne their full attention to the lamp.

"Weird!" Joey said as Tristan picked it up. He took off the little lid on the top and looked inside.

"I don't see anything in it." He said setting it back down. Joey used the sleeve of his shirt to rub it again, sending the lamp jumping across the room. Everyone stared in amazement as the lamp began to glow and a small light zoomed out of the opening of the mouth of the lamp. The light became bigger and brighter until it burst, sending little sparkles of light floating around the room to reveal a girl, with brown hair, and green eyes, who looked to be about 18 standing in the middle of the room.

  



	7. chapter seven

The group looked the girl over; she was dressed in Egyptian attire and had brown hair held up in a ponytail, with emerald green eyes. 

"Finally, after all these years, I'm free at last!" the girl cheered happily as she did a twirl, not noticing the others as she celebrated her freedom. 

"Is that a genie?" Mokuba asked as they watched the girl dance around the kitchen.

"Well, it isn't the tooth fairy." Joey said as he stood up and walked toward the girl. The girl saw his approach out of the corner of her eye as she turned to stare at them, a fearful look on her face. 

"Who are you?" she asked when she finally noticed them. "Where is the pharaoh?" she asked. "Did Rome fall yet?" she asked as an after thought.

"We were cleaning the lamp and you came out." Mokuba said pointing to the rag and lamp on the kitchen table. The girl looked at the lamp and discarded rag as she gave a sigh of relief.

"Oh, you are my new masters." She said giving them a small bow. "My name is Meliara, and I am eternally grateful. Finally, I can stretch." She said as she raised her arms above her head in a stretch. "It's really cramped in that lamp. Hey, cool house you have here." She said as she glanced around the kitchen. 

"Do you mind if I look around?" she asked and moved over to the fridge without waiting for an answer. She opened the door and gave a small shiver before slamming it closed again.

"That is very cold! What is it?" 

"It's a refrigerator." Tea answered. "It keeps the food cold." Meliara gave it another look. "Yeah, I see." She said in amazement as she moved on to look at something else. The others smiled at each other at her amazement of things such as the eggbeater, timer, and microwave. 

"This is so very cool!" Meliara said as she walked around the kitchen again, looking at everything. Meliara then took a look out in the hall and seeing all the other rooms disappeared. Mokuba, who grabbed the lamp, ran after the others as they searched the neighboring rooms, trying to find her.

"Where did she go?" He asked as he looked in a room.

"In here!" Yugi yelled as he entered the library. They found her, floating in the air, reading an excyclopeia. 

"Wow! Las Vegas must have been some place for Ceasar to move his palace there." She muttered.

"What are you doing?" Mokuba asked as he ran into the room. Meliara closed the book as she floated down.

"Catching up with the twentieth century." She answered.

"You mean you just read the whole encyclopedia?" Tea asked. Meliara nodded.

"From cover to cover." She said as she turned and saw Seto's globe. She walked over to it and spun it around. 

"Hey, what is this? A bowling ball? Baseball ball? Cinderella's ball?" she asked giving a laugh at her joke.

"No! It's a globe of the earth!" Tristan said as if she were stupid. Meliara turned to look at him wide eyed.

"You mean the earth isn't _flat!" she asked. "I must have missed that part!" she said picking up the encyclopedia again. _

"Boy, she _has _been in that lamp a long time!" Tea commented.

"I better check this out!" she said closing the book and starting to walk out of the room.

"Hey! Wait a minute!" Joey said stopping her. "What about our wishes?" Meliara turned to glare at him, making Joey step back in surprise at her sudden change in attitude.

"Wishes!" she spat. "Do I look like a birthday cake to you guys!" she asked angrily.

"Oh come on! You can't fool us." Mokuba said gently, catching on to her ploy. "A genie is supposed to grant wishes."

"Yeah, three wishes." Yugi added. "For every master." Meliara's anger faded as she crossed her arms. "Darn! Everybody remembers _that part!"_

"So how does it work?" Joey asked excitedly. Meliara smiled at his eagerness as she took the lamp from Mokuba.

"First, you have to hold the lamp…" 

"yeah…" Tea said,

"Then you say, 'I wish'." 

"Yeah…" Joey pressed.

"Then you wish for something!" Meliara finished as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"That's it?" Mokuba asked as she gave a nod. 

"I know my first wish; I'm going to wish for a million other wishes!" Joey said.

"Get serious that never works!" Meliara replied as she rolled her eyes. 

"I guess one of us should wish for peace and happiness all over the world." Tea said.

"Hey, these are wishes." Meliara said. "Not miracles." 

"I don't believe any of this magic stuff." Tristan suddenly spoke up. "How do we know she's for real?" 

"Only one way to find out!" Joey said taking the lamp from Mokuba and giving it a rub. 

"I wish for….a baby elephant!" Joey said wishing for the first thing that popped into his head. 

"JOEY!" Tea said shaking her head in disbelief.

"OH NO!" Meliara said suddenly as she tried to stop herself from performing the wish. The others looked at her in surprise at her sudden outburst.  

"Oh please! Oh no!" she said as she granted his wish and a baby elephant appeared next to Joey, a collar around its neck attached to a leash in Joey's hand. 

"Now look what you did!" Meliara said angrily to Joey.

  



	8. chapter eight

"Now look what you did!" Meliara said angrily to Joey.

"What? You granted my wish didn't you?" he asked not understanding why this was such a big problem. "Besides, it's kinda cute!" he said as he patted the elephants trunk.

"And big!" Meliara added yelling at him. "Big wishes always end up big trouble! The bigger the wish, the bigger the trouble." 

"You know," Mokuba broke in. "she's right. One look at that elephant and Seto's is gonna want to know what's going on."

"Everyone who sees it will!" Meliara replied. "and before you know it, they will all be fighting over me, the wishes will get out of control, and I'll end up being buried in the lamp for another thousand years!" she said miserably.

"You know, I haven't really thought of that." Joey said apologetically.

"So please, please, make small wishes." Meliara begged as she heard a female voice humming, heading toward them.

Meliara turned to look with fearful eyes at the open library door as the humming grew louder.

"It's one of the house keepers." Mokuba said recognizing the humming.

"Hurry, hide the elephant!" Joey said handing the leash to Yugi.

"Oh yeah! Like where?" Tristan responded sarcastically. They had no more time to argue about it as the woman entered the room. She stopped her humming, took one look at the elephant, and ran screaming out of the room.

"Crap! I'm in trouble already!" Meliara said sinking to her knees. Mokuba looked out the window and sat Seto's limo pulling into the driveway.

"Uh oh! We all are!" he commented right as five minutes later the house keeper ran outside and grabbed Seto's arm.

"Mr. Kaiba, an elephant, in the library, hurry!" she screamed as she dragged him inside. 

The elephant had gotten scared at the woman's scream was running around the library destroying everything as Yugi tried to calm it down. 

"Here, Tristan you wish taking it away." Joey said as he tossed him the lamp.

"No way wheeler! I am not wasting one of my wished just because you were an idiot!" Tristan retorted as he tossed it back to Joey. The two continued to bicker about the wish as Meliara and ran to them and Tea and Mokuba looked down the hall, waiting for Seto.

"Will somebody please do something?!" Meliara begged them as Tristan snatched the lamp from Joey, "Fine! I wish Joey hadn't been an idiot and made his moronic wish." Meliara instantly turned to face the elephant and pointed at it. The elephant disappeared in a burst of light as everything in the room returned to it's rightful place. 

"Now let's get out of here before Seto sees Meliara." Mokuba said as he led them down the hall just as Seto and the house keeper entered in from another door. 

"In here Mr. Kaiba!" she said as she looked in the room and gave a cry of disbelief. "It's… it's gone!" she stuttered. 

"Please, tell me, is this some ploy to ticket some vacation time!" Seto asked the frazzled woman nastily.

"No, it was here! Honest. An elephant with a collar." She said as she walked around where she had seen it. "You think I'm crazy don't you?" she asked as she turned to face him. Seto looked at her and walked to the other door and looked down the hall just in time to see Joey and Tristan disappear around the corner. 

"Maybe not." He said as he went to follow them.

Mokuba took them to his room as he slammed the door behind him. "I think he saw us." Mokuba said as he leaned against the door, panting. 

"Quick, get back in the lamp." Yugi said as he extended it toward her. Meliara backed away from the lamp holding out her hands to shield it away.

"Please, not the lamp. Anywhere but the lamp. I've been in it for so long!" she protested as Mokuba opened his closet door.

"In here!" he said as Meliara ran inside. Mokuba closed the door right as Seto came bursting in.

"Hello Kaiba." The group replied calmly. 

"Hey, Seto. You're home early." Mokuba said happily hoping his voice didn't give anything away.

"Don't you losers act like nothing is going on." Seto said as he stepped into the room. "What kind of jokes are you guys playing on my house keepers?" 

What are you talking about?" Joey asked pretending he knew nothing.

"We have been in here the entire day." Tristan lied.

"Then what the heck is going on?" Seto demanded to know crossing his arms. 

Meliara, who was still in the closet, looked through the keyhole of the closet to look at Seto.

_'Wow!'_ she thought as she stared at Seto. _'That must be Mokuba's older brother, he is really cute.'_ She thought to herself as Seto glanced around the room trying to see if anything looked different. When his gaze met the closet door Meliara stepped back, in surprise as she tripped over a shoe. She fell backwards crashing into the wall making a loud noise. 

Seto's eyes darted from the group to the closet.

"What was that?" he ordered to know.

"I didn't hear anything!" Joey protested as Seto strode through the room and yanked open Mokuba's closet door to find himself staring into a pair of the most beautiful green eyes he had ever seen.

  



	9. chapter nine

Seto, for once, was speechless. When he had opened Mokuba's closet door he had expected to find an animal or something, but not a girl. And he especially hadn't expected her to be so pretty. Meliara stepped out of the closet calmly, and tossed a card she had created with her magic to Mokuba. 

"Here ya go Mokuba." She said as she walked past Seto. "I found that card you were looking for, you left it in the pocket of one of your jackets." She made up as she then turned to Seto and extended her hand.

"Hi, you must be Mokuba's older brother. I'm Meliara." Seto stared at her dumbly as Mokuba gaped at his brother in shock. He couldn't remember a time when Seto had ever been speechless and over a girl nonetheless. Seto soon recovered as he turned to Mokuba, ignoring the girls attempt at a handshake. 

"Who is this?" he demanded to know as he looked at her from the corner of his eye. While in the closet, Meliara had used her magic to change into more modern clothes, so she didn't look like she had escaped from the casting of some Egyptian movie. 

"Meliara." Mokuba answered although he wondered why his brother was asking him that, especially after she had just told him. Seto turned to face her.

"You're new around here?" he accused rather than asked. Meliara nodded.

"Yeah, kinda, I pop up every now and then." She said.

"She's new and she needs a place to stay." Mokuba said hoping his brother would offer. 

"For just tonight?" Seto asked piercingly. 

"Well…." Mokuba said slowly. "For a while actually." 

Seto turned to look at Meliara again assessing her with his gaze, taking in her stunning green eyes and brown hair. 

"I won't cause any trouble, Seto….I uh mean Mr. Kaiba." She corrected as Seto's eyes flashed angrily when she called him Seto. Seto stared at her for a minute before turning his back to her. 

"Fine! But first time I hear about her causing problems and she can find some place else to stay." And with that Seto strode out of the room and slammed the door, causing everyone to wince. They waited a few minutes to make sure he was gone before exhaling a sigh of relief. 

"Well, it looks like your staying here for a while." Mokuba said happily. 

"Yes, thanks you. I hope that I didn't get you in trouble with your brother." Meliara said quietly. Mokuba shook his head. 

"He'll get over it; he's just been in a bad mood lately." Meliara nodded her head in understanding. Things then changed over to the subject as everyone thought about what they wanted to wish for. After all they did have three, with the exception of Tristan and Joey who were now down to two. 

Seto, after leaving Mokuba's room went straight to his office and shut the door firmly behind him. 

_'Why the heck did I let her stay?'_ he wondered to himself. He thought about the way she had looked at him after he had given her they glare when she called him by his first name. Only Mokuba was allowed to call him Seto. But allowed her to stay he had, and he might as well make the best of it. He doubted that she would cause that big of a problem, he probably wouldn't even notice she was there most of the time. He picked up the phone and called one of the house keepers to his office.

"Yes, Mr. Kaiba?" she asked when she entered. 

"Prepare a spare bedroom for our guest." He ordered.

"How long are they staying?" The house keeper inquired. 

"Until I say otherwise." Seto said slightly annoyed. 

"Male of Female?" the house keeper pressed.

"Female." Seto said trying to keep his temper down at the inconvenience. If the house keeper was shocked at the prospect of Seto Kaiba having a girl spend the night she didn't show it. She merely nodded and gave a slight bow as she left to prepare the room as she was ordered. Seto watched her leave as he opened his laptop to finish some work. But as hard as he tried he couldn't seem to rid his mind of a picture of that girl and her beautiful emerald green eyes. 

  



	10. chapter ten

"So what else should we wish for?" Joey asked to no one in particular as he sat in the grass. After their encounter with Seto, Mokuba thought it best to leave the mansion and stay out of Seto's way. They had gone to a park and Yugi and Tea had each made a wish, not for anything really in particular. More of just to test it out. 

"How about a small car?" Tristan suggested.

"Yeah do you want that with or without a big sign saying I have a genie?" Meliara asked sarcastically. 

"A little much huh?" Tristan asked. 

"Just a tad." Meliara said gently. In all truth Mokuba and the others didn't mind not being able to make huge wishes. Mokuba already had everything he wanted, and the others just didn't really need anything big. They were content with making small ones and Meliara was more than happy to grant them, and to even throw in a little magic of her own off to the side. She hated trying to deprive them of being able to make big wishes, because she truly wanted to please her new friends. But she remembered what happened last time and she didn't want to end up being stuck in the lamp for a thousand more years. So she was grateful for their sacrifice on their part, which is why she threw in a little bit of "free" magic here and there. 

"Hey I got it." Joey said. "I wish for all the hamburgers and shakes that I could eat right now, for me and everyone else here." 

"All right! Here they come." Meliara said as she performed her magic, creating a hamburger stand right there. 

"I'm starving." Tea said as she went to sit at a table. 

"Probably because it's getting late." Yugi said as he sat next to her.

"I bet Seto is going to wonder why I missed dinner." Mokuba said more to himself than anyone else. 

"Maybe we should all go home." Tea suggested. Her suggestions was met by a chorus of no's as everyone helped themselves to the food. After everyone had eaten their fill the stand disappeared as the stars stared to come out, sprinkling the night sky.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow." Mokuba said as he picked up the lamp. "I better get home before Seto gets really mad." The others nodded their understanding and after a myriad of good byes to Mokuba and Meliara the two made their way back to the mansion.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"There is no sign of him, Mr. Kaiba." A woman said to Seto as she entered the room. "Should I call the police?" 

"No," Seto answered roughly as he stared moodily out the window. Where in the world was he? Seto had gone down to dinner to find that he was eating alone, with no sign of Mokuba or that girl anywhere. After he had quizzed one of the house keepers he found out that Mokuba and the others had left and hadn't returned. And although Seto didn't like to admit it, he was slightly concerned. Not just about his brother, but about Meliara as well. After all, Mokuba had never been out this late before. 

"When that boy gets home, he is going to be grounded for a month." Seto said to himself as Mokuba and Meliara stood listening to him from a side door. Mokuba whispered something to Meliara as she smiled and nodded. She then pointed at Seto as a stream of magic weaved its way through the air, hitting him in the back. Seto had a stunned look on his face for a split second until Meliara and Mokuba entered the room. 

"We're back." Mokuba said as Seto, and three other house keepers turned to face them. 

"Mokuba Kaiba, I think your brother has something to say to you." One of them said sternly. 

Seto glanced at them for a moment before smiling.

"Welcome home, can I get you two anything?" he asked sweetly. Meliara and Mokuba had to fight to control their laughter. Apparently, the magic was working wonders on his disposition. 

"No thank you." Mokuba said. "We're fine." 

"Then I bet that your are tired after your long day." Seto said as he walked with them up the stairs. 

"Yes, I am." Mokuba admitted. "Good night, Seto." He said when they reached the door to his room.

Seto gave another cheesy smile and wished him good night as he left to go to his own room. Mokuba and Meliara rushed into Mokuba room and quickly shut the door. They both fell on the floor, laughing hysterically. 

"I have never seen Seto act that way before." He said gasping for breath.

"I know, I probably shouldn't have made him that cheesy, but I couldn't help it." Meliara said holding her sides. 

"When will the magic wear off?" Mokuba wanted to know. 

"Fairly soon." Meliara replied slowly catching her breath. "Since it wasn't an official wish, I could only make it last a few minutes." 

"But that was defiantly worth it." Mokuba said as they started laughing again, thinking of Seto's cheesy smile. "Joey would have loved to see that."

  



	11. chapter eleven

A few minutes later Mokuba was dressed for bed. Meliara tucked the little boy in and smiled at him sweetly. He reminded her of her own little brother. Meliara got up to leave when Mokuba called her name.

"Mel?" Mokuba said quietly. Meliara turned around to look at him questioningly. 

"What is it Mokuba?" she asked.

"Would you sing me to sleep?" he asked. "My mom used too and Seto won't, so would you please?" Meliara smiled as she sat down on the side of his bed. She then began to sing a song that she had sung to her brother when he was little to put him to sleep. Mokuba closed his eyes, the sound of her voice lulling him to sleep. When Meliara finished to tucked the sleeping boy in again and got up to leave. 

"Good night, Mokuba." She whispered as she stepped out of his room and closed the door behind her. She then stepped backwards and turned to find herself staring into Seto's blue eyes. 

"Seto." She gasped in surprise as she started to fall backwards when Seto's arms shot out and caught her. He held her by the waist close to him as Meliara looked up at him. Seto stared back into her green eyes. He had come to tuck Mokuba in, after he was absolutely sure that he wouldn't make an idiot out of himself by acting cheesy. He really had no idea what had made him do it, but he had hated it. He had heard Meliara singing to Mokuba, so he stayed by the door, listening to her voice. He couldn't seen to tear himself away. Seto then realized the position they were in and quickly let her go. She stepped back, her cheeks going red.

"Thanks for catching me." She said softly. 

"I heard you singing to Mokuba." Seto said.

"Yeah, he asked me to sing him to sleep." Meliara answered.

"Our mother used to do that." Seto said more to himself than her. "Thank you for doing that for him." 

"It was no problem; I used to do it all the time for my little brother." Meliara said.

"Where is he staying?" Seto asked. Meliara looked at him questioningly.

"What?" 

"You said that you were new here didn't you?" Seto commented. "If you're staying here where is the rest of your family?" Meliara panicked for a moment as he mind raced for a story. She didn't want Seto to know she was a genie. 

"I'm the only one left." She said, which actually was the truth. 

"What are you doing here in Domino, then?" Seto wondered. "And what happened to your family." 

"They…they died." She said quietly. "And I came here because of work." She said, which was true. Her job was granting the wishes of whoever rubbed the lamp and Mokuba had. So she had to stay until he used up all three of his wishes, including his and his friends. 

"What kind of work?" Seto asked. 

"Well, nothing really important. Just little stuff." She said quickly. Luckily Seto didn't press her for more information as she gave an inward sigh of relief. 

It was then Seto realized they were still standing outside of Mokuba's room. 

"Come, I'll show you to your room." He said as he started walking down the hall. 

Meliara looked at his retreating back in puzzlement. "My room?" 

Seto turned to look at her. "You said you needed a place to stay right?" he asked. 

"Oh, right, yes thank you." She said as she followed him down the hall. They walked in silence as Seto led her past a multitude of rooms. He finally stopped in front of a set of double doors. 

"You can stay here for as long as you need." Seto said without looking at her. "My room is right next to yours so if you need anything, you know where I am." Meliara looked into the room and gasped. It was beautiful and fully furnished, one of the biggest rooms she had ever seen, Meliara turned and hugged Seto around the neck. The startled Seto had no idea of what to do so he hesitantly put one arm around her giving her a one armed return hug.  

"Thank you Seto." She said then realizing her mistake she let go and backed away unsurely. "I mean…Mr. Kaiba." She corrected, remembering the look on his face last time she had called him by his first name. Seto felt the absence of her in his arms but pushed the feeling away as he studied her humbled appearance. She was staring at the floor, hands clasped together in the front, and Seto felt a slight twinge of affection for this girl that had suddenly appeared out of nowhere it seemed. Startled by his realization he pushed the foreign emotion away. 

"I'll see you tomorrow." He said finally as he walked into his room and closed the door. Meliara did the same as she went into her room and threw herself on the bed and gave a sigh of annoyance. 

_'I can't believe I did that!'_ she thought to herself. _'Calling him Seto and then hugging him! He must think I'm a real idiot!'_ she groaned as she sat up and looked out the window at the star filled sky. _'And yet, I'd do it again to feel his arms around me.' She thought with a small smile as she got under the covers and fell asleep. _

Seto had walked into his room and sat down at his desk, lacing his fingers together as he stared absentmindedly at the wall. He had enjoyed the hug, that much was obvious, but why he didn't know. Was it possible he was starting to like her? No, that couldn't be it. She was just some girl that Mokuba had befriended and that was the only reason she was staying. Having made up his mind to forget her he got into bed and closed his eyes. Falling asleep thinking of the green eyed girl in the room next to his.

  



	12. chapter twelve

A huge buzzard winged its way through the skies of Domino, carrying a scraggly looking Dejon in its gigantic claws. 

"You can drop me off anywhere along here." The man pleaded more than said as they neared a rose bush on the Kaiba mansion grounds. 

"But not there!" he said looking nervously at the thorns. "Not there!" he tried again as the buzzard released his grip on him sending him plummeting toward the rose bush. 

The buzzard landed on the ground and using the green talisman around his neck, transformed into the huge man that was Merlock. Merlock looked calmly into the window of Seto's mansion. 

"Are you certain this is where Kaiba lives?" Merlock asked annoyed at this being the eighth house he had checked. I mean just how many Kaiba's in Domino where there?

"This time I am very sure." Dejon said as he tried to get out of the prickly thorns. "I think." He added quietly. Merlock rolled his eyes then turned back to the window. 

"Then we begin our next search." He replied. Dejon finally untangled himself long enough to stand next to Merlock. 

"But I am not a popular favorite in that house. If Kaiba found me, he would kill me!" Dejon said as he clung to Merlock's arm with worry. 

"Then stay outside if you wish!" Merlock yelled as he pushed him off sending him back into the rose bush. "I'll try very hard to remember you at reward time!" he muttered as he clutched the talisman and transformed into a rat. The rat climbed in through a half open window and began running around the house searching for the lamp or Meliara.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"And I play Flame Swordsman in attack mode. I win." Joey crowed as Meliara looked at the cards puzzled. Joey and the others had come over early the next morning, much to Seto's chagrin. Seto had locked himself in his office; one to stay away from Joey and his idiotic nature and two, so that he wouldn't be caught staring at Meliara again, which he had done all breakfast. He couldn't help it, she was like a modern day Aphrodite, and he kept thinking about when she had hugged him the night before. So he was going to stay as far from her as possible. So when Meliara had come across Mokuba and Joey playing Duel Monsters, and asked how to play, they tried to teach the genie the finer points of the game.

"That's the third game that I've lost." She said sadly as Yugi walked into the room. 

"How many games have you two played?" Yugi asked. 

"Three." Meliara replied dully. Yugi chuckled, "don't worry; you'll get the hang of it eventually."  

"I doubt it." Meliara said as she crossed her arms behind her head. "It's hard to figure out. Besides, I think its boring." she said.

Joey looked at her like she was crazy. "Boring?! How can Duel Monsters be boring?" 

Meliara shrugged. "I don't know, it just it." She pouted thinking of the three games she just lost. Joey looked at her then got an idea. He grabbed the lamp and looked at Meliara with a glint in his eye. 

"Then I'll just have to make it more interesting." He said. Meliara looked at him then realized what he was planning to do.

"No! I didn't mean it. This game really is fun!" she tried lamely to get Joey to reconsider his next wish, but it fell on deaf ears.

"I wish that the cards would come to life!" he said as he vigorously rubbed the lamp. 

"OH NO!" Meliara cried as the room filled with magic. The magic flowed from Meliara and through the cards as various monsters and creatures popped out and began running out the room and down the hall, destroying everything they saw. Yugi, Mokuba, Joey and Meliara ran to look as the monsters disappeared down the hall. 

"Wish them back, PLEASE!" Meliara begged as she turned to Joey her hands clasped together. 

"I can't." Joey said apologetically. "That was my last wish." Meliara shoulders slumped in defeat. 

"I wish you hadn't have said that." 

  



	13. chapter thirteen

Merlock continued to search through out the house, peeking under doors, and scrambling through closets, anywhere he thought that they might have hid the lamp. Then he heard her voice. 

"This game is boring!" 

Merlock smiled, '_gotcha'_ he thought. He tried his best to get under the door, but the next thing he knew, the door had flown open, and a thousands of monster, creatures and animals came running out of the room. Merlock found himself staring into the eyes of a tiger holding an axe and wearing armor. Merlock gulped as he ran down the hall, the tiger chasing him. 

Seto was in his office, working when he heard something crash outside his office. He looked up from his computer when he heard another crash followed by yelling. Seto got up, annoyed at being interrupted and stepped out in the hall, to almost be run over by what looked like Gaia the Fierce Knight. 

_'What the heck was that?'_ He thought to himself as he stared, eyes wide open in surprise, as he followed the monster. The monster led him to the living room where Mokuba, Tea, Yugi, Joey, Tristan, and Meliara where there, watching the various monsters climbing over furniture and smashing everything as they battled one another. He walked in closer to find that Joey and Tristan were arguing. 

"Joey! What kind of bone headed wish did you make this time?" he head Tristan yell.

_'Wish?'_ Seto wondered as he stood there, listening, and arms crossed. 

"I'm sorry, just wish them back!" Joey said handing the lamp to Tristan. 

"But I only have one wish left!" Tristan argued.

"All right! What is going on here!" Seto demanded to know, making his presence known. Everyone turned to look at him, speechless as Seto glared at them. 

"Well?!" he said demanded an answer as Mokuba gulped. 

"Looks like the gig is up. Go ahead Tristan." Mokuba said avoiding Seto's gaze as Tristan reluctantly took the lamp.

"Yeah, I wish everything was back to normal." He said as Meliara stepped forward and zapped the monsters. The monsters turned back into their card forms and fell to the floor, scattering everywhere. Seto stared in surprise at Meliara as she turned to face him, looking at the floor. 

"Don't tell me she's a genie!" Seto said as he continued to stare at her. 

"I was going to tell you Seto." Mokuba spoke up. "Eventually."

"Where did she come from?" he asked. Tristan handed the lamp to Mokuba as he showed it his brother. 

"Remember this?" heasked hesitantly. Seto's squinted at the lamp then remembered as he took it from Mokuba.

"The genie in the magic lamp." He said. "The things I could do with this. I could own the largest company in Domino. No, I can make KaibaCorp the largest company in Domino, or I could…." Seto began to think of all the things that he now had the power to do as Meliara stared miserably at the floor. She didn't know what things were going to be like now that Seto knew she was genie but she was willing to bet that he wouldn't really care about the whole no big wishes request she had made to the others. She gave a sigh, now what was she going to do.

Later that night, everyone was in still in the living room, Seto, fiercely guarding the lamp, was sitting on the couch with Meliara next to him. Mokuba sat on the chair and everyone else was scattered throughout the room. 

"So this is what it is like to be a normal person." She said aloud. "It's all I've ever wished for." 

"So how many wishes do we have left?" Tea asked. 

"Well, Yugi and Tea still have two, Joey and Tristan are out and Mokuba has one more." She said ticking the names off her finger.

"Only one more." Mokuba said. "I better make sure it's real special." Meliara took this moment to look out the window. She saw a shadow fly past the window as she gave a scream "It's him!" she shouted. "Hide me, please make him go away!" she yelled as she hid her face in Seto's chest wrapping her arms around his waist in fear. 


	14. chapter fourteen

Seto looked shocked at her sudden outburst and obvious fear of something and felt a surge of protectiveness as he made a movement to put his arm around her. He then saw what she had been so scared of as he put his arm over the back of the couch in an attempt to hide his concern for her. 

"It's just an owl." He sniffed, trying to ignore the fact that she was still leaning on him and holding him around the waist. 

"An owl?" she asked as she slowly uncovered her face and relaxed her grip on Seto's waist. 

"Yeah, he comes around here every night." Mokuba said as he looked at her, puzzled by her yelling. 

Meliara let go of Seto and looked at them humbly. "I'm sorry, I thought it was my meanest master, you know, the one the Pharaoh took the lamp from." 

"Your old master was a bird?" Seto asked looking at her like she was crazy. Meliara got up off the couch and paced the floor. 

"Bird, animal, he could change himself into anything. He was an evil sorcerer." She said turning to face them.

"He can't still be alive though." Yugi pointed out.

"Yeah, he'd be ancient." Tristan added.

"Even older than Yugi's grandpa." Joey commented.

"Yeah, except his first wish was to live forever." She said sadly. 

"Hm." Seto replied with a smirk. "Not a bad wisher." He said thinking of immortality. 

Meliara spun around to face him. "NO! Bad wisher." She said fiercely. "You don't know." She said walking over to the window and staring at the starry sky, 

"He made me do the worst things." She said sadly. 

"Like what?" Mokuba asked slowly. Meliara turned to face them, thinking. 

"You've heard of Atlantis right?" she asked. The others nodded showing that they had. 

"Well, it was actually a favorite resort until Merlock couldn't get reservations. Then down she went." She said pacing the floor again.   
and poor Pompey. Mt. Vesuvius would have never blown it's top if Merlock hadn't blown his." She said sadly thinking of the awful things that she had been forced to do. 

"What are you so worried about?" Seto broke in rudely. "He's used up all his wishes." He said thinking off the three he had heard off. 

"That's just it." She said walking over to him. "Merlock has unlimited wishes. Because he has a talisman." She said as she held out her hand. A picture of the talisman appeared over her open palm revolving in a circle allowing everyone to get a glimpse of it. 

"It's the source of all his power. And when he puts it on the lamp, he gets as many wishes as he wants." She said closing her hand as the image disappeared in a burst in a shower of tiny lights. 

"Now do you see why I'm a tad bit paranoid?" 

"Maybe we could wish for the talisman." Mokuba said trying to be helpful. 

"That's the one wish I can't do." She said sitting down on the couch next to Seto again. 

"You would have to steal it from him yourself. And good luck doing that!" she said resting her chin in her hands. 

"Don't worry about him." Seto said suddenly. Meliara looked at him in surprise. "You're here, and this mansion is very well protected." He said not looking at her. Meliara gave him a small smile as Seto glanced at her reaction out of the corner of his eye. 

"Besides, he has no idea that you are with us." Mokuba added. "And we'll just have to make sure that it stays that way."


	15. chapter fifteen

Merlock glared at Seto's mansion from afar. He had been trying to get in there for two days and every time he somehow got chased out. First it was that stupid wish the blond had made and then the housekeepers kept finding him. He curled his fists in fury. He was not a very patient man. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Seto growled in annoyance as he looked at the days schedule. Today he had to go to the archeological ball. He gave a satisfactory grin. '_Well, at least I have something to show them this time. They will be so mad that I found the Pharaoh's treasure first.' Thinking of the treasure made him think of Meliara. That female genie had been on his mind constantly for the last few days. He hadn't made a single wish; he half didn't want to for fear that she'd leave once they were gone. But he was going to make his first tonight. He would wish for the treasure that had been stolen from him, and bring a small sample as proof to the ball. Seto looked at his watch; it was 5:00 the ball started at 7:00. He got up from his chair with a sigh as he got dressed, putting on his tux. How he hated having to wear one. At a quarter to seven Seto took the lamp from his bedside table and went downstairs to find Meliara and Mokuba. He found them with Yugi and the others, playing Duel Monsters. He entered the room as everyone turned to look at him. _

"In the lamp, genie." He commanded holding it toward her. "You're coming with me." He said. Meliara looked at the lamp as she stood up, backing away from it. 

"No! Please! Have a heart." She pleaded holding out her hands to ward it away. She had known this was coming. Mokuba had told her of the upcoming ball and she figured that Seto was going to make her go. 

"Aw, can't she stay here with us?" Mokuba asked. 

"What! And let the mutt make more stupid wishes!" he said glaring at Joey. 

"Hey, my wishes weren't stupid Kaiba!" Joey said as he made an attempt to jump him. 

"Give it a rest Joey!" Tristan said holding on to him. Seto ignored Joey as he stepped closer to Meliara. 

"Come on!" he said impatiently. 

"Please, don't make me." She said softly. 

"Just let her stay Kaiba." Yugi said trying to reason with him. "Yeah, she's our friend." Tea added.

"Nonsense." Seto spat. "A genie isn't a person. A genie is a thing." Meliara's eyes widen with hurt as Seto looked at her. He hadn't meant to hurt her, he wanted to take it back but his pride held him back. 

"Just get inside." He said slightly more gently. Meliara hung her head in defeat; she had to do as she was told. 

"Bye guys, I guess I'll see you later." She said as she made herself a small ball of white light and floated into the lamp. Seto smirked as he pocketed the lamp and walked out to his waiting limo. Mokuba and the others watched as he left, feeling sorry for Meliara. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Wow!" Meliara said from her vantage point in the lamp. "Look at the size of this room!" 

"Can you not keep quiet at all?" Seto asked annoyed. She had been talking nonstop ever since he got to the ball.

"If you let me out, I'll be good." She bargained. "I mean it's not like I stand out." She said. Seto rolled his eyes. 

"Fine!" he relented, he was starting to get weird looks from people as they passed by and heard him talking to his pocket. Meliara soon appeared next to him as he grabbed her arm and moved them into an adjoining room. 

"But you had better be good!" he warned. "And do you think you could use a little of that magic of yours to change into something more appropriate?" he asked sarcastically looking at her jeans and T-shirt. 

"I will as soon as you turn around." She replied crossing her arms. Seto muttered something about girls as he did as she requested. Meliara used her magic, transforming her t-shirt and jeans into a black off the shoulders dress that flowed to the floor. 

"I'm done." She said as Seto turned around and had to fight from gaping. 

'_She's…beautiful.'_ He thought taking in the way the dress accentuated her figure. 

"Is this okay?" she asked uncertainly as Seto shook his head. 

"I guess that will work." He replied. Meliara gave him a weak smile as she hooked her arm through his. 

"I guess that this means I'm your date now." She said. Seto didn't say anything as he led her to the ball room, enjoying the feeling of her arm looped through his.


	16. chapter sixteen

Merlock ran out of the mansion once again, chased by a woman. 

"I hate rats!" she yelled as he quickly hid himself inside the rose bush. Once the woman was gone Merlock transformed himself out of the rat and into the human that was him. 

"Where is the lamp!" he demanded of Dejon. 

"Kaiba took it with him to this ball." Dejon said as he scrambled up next to Merlock. 

"But I know where the ball is. Follow me." 

Once they go there Merlock was about to walk in when he whirled around to face Dejon. 

"You will go in the back entrance while I go through the front. And if Kaiba gets past you it will be your hide!" he threatened as he spun around and walked in. Dejon gulped as he went in the back door as ordered and began searching for the lamp and Kaiba.

Meliara stood quietly in the corner of the room as Seto conversed with business associates. She watched as Seto moved away and three girls flocked to his side, all asking for a dance. Meliara felt a hint of jealousy, but pushed it away. What did it matter anyway? She had realized by now that she was starting to like Seto, a lot. But there was no point. He had said it himself. He just saw her as a granter of wishes and once he used them up she would be forgotten. Unknown to Meliara she was also the center of attention by three men who had been watching the brown haired girl in the corner. The beginning notes to a song came on as one of them walked over.

"Excuse me miss, but would you like to dance?" he asked. Meliara blushed as she accepted. He pulled her onto the floor and started dancing. Seto noticed out of the corner of his eye as jealousy surged through him. The nerve of that guy, asking her to dance while I'm gone. Well, he'd just have to put a stop to this. Seto moved through the room until he reached them. He put his hand on the man's shoulder as he turned to face him. 

"Mind if I cut in?" he asked in a way that said it had better not be a problem. The man backed away as Seto put this arm possessively around Meliara's waist. The next song came on as if it were meant for Meliara

_I feel like I've been locked up tight for a century of loneliness_

_Waiting for someone_

_To release me. _

_You're licking your lips and blowing kisses my way_

_But that don't mean I'm gonna give it a way_

_Baby baby baby_

Meliara stared at Seto in surprise as they danced around the room. Noticing the dirty looks from the girls that wished they were her. Seto was oblivious to the stares as he tried to keep his heart from pounding out of his chest. Her closeness was intoxicating as he pulled her closer to him. She looked up at him as he stared into her green eyes. 

_My body's saying lets go_

_But my heart is saying no no_

_If you want to be with me_

_Baby there's a price to pay, _

_I'm a genie in a bottle, _

_You gotta rub me the right way._

_If you want to be with me_

_I can make your wish come true_

The song continued as Meliara got caught up in the moment. She and Seto continued to dance, forgetting about everything except for each other. The chorus came back on as Seto leaned closer to her.

_If you want to be with me_

_Baby there's a price to pay._

_I'm a genie in a bottle_

_You gotta rub me the right way_

_If want to be with me_

_I can make your wish come true just come and set me free_

_And I'll be with you_

Meliara leaned in as Seto's face came closer. Right at the moment she saw Merlock's reflection on a mirror mounted on the wall. She spun around with a gasp. Seto let go of her, surprised. 

_'What just happened here?'_ he asked himself. He watched Meliara for a moment as she stared dumbstruck by something. He was about to ask her what was wrong when a man tapped him. 

"Mr. Kaiba, it's time for you to say something in regard to what you found." Seto nodded and turned to follow the man. 

Meliara stared transfixed with fear as she saw Merlock scanning the crowd.

_'How did he find me?'_ she wondered as she turned to warn Seto. 

"Seto?" she said when she realized he wasn't behind her anymore. She anxiously searched the room for him as she saw him walk on the stage.

"Oh no, I have to stop him!" she said as she rushed toward the stage. 

"I have something to say that I have wanted to for quite a while now." Seto began with a smirk. "After a long time of searching I have brought forth the legendary the infamous treasure of…" he was cut off as Meliara dragged him off the stage. Merlock's eyes narrowed in anger as she started for the stage, pushing confused people out of his way.

"What the heck do you think you are doing!" Seto demanded when she pulled him off the stage and behind a curtain.

"Merlock! My old master he's here!" she said fear edging her voice. Seto looked out from behind the curtain as Merlock caught a glimpse of him and started walking faster. 

"It's that thief from the pyramid!" Seto said angrily as she prepared to walk toward him. Meliara grabbed him wrist and started running. 

"No! He's very powerful, he can destroy you." She yelled as she dragged him behind her up the stairs and into a part of the building that resembled an apartment. Merlock looked behind the curtain just as they ran up the stairs. He gave a victorious smile as he followed them; thinking of what he was going to do now that the genie was almost back on his hands.


	17. chapter seventeen

"Hurry up." Meliara urged as she continued to drag Seto upstairs. She found an open room and ran inside. Merlock made it to the top of the stairs and looked around trying to figure out where they had gone. 

Seto glared at Meliara as she shoved a couch in front of the door. The bang of the couch against the door alerted Merlock as to where they were hiding. He gave an evil smile as he neared the door. 

"Quick! You have got to wish us out of here." Meliara said as she shoved the lamp in Seto's hands. 

"Not a chance. These wishes are worth a fortune." 

"What is more important a fortune or your life." She shot at him. Seto scowled as he turned his head away knowing she was right. But Meliara took his silence differently. 

"Hey, is that exactly a trick question!" she demanded as Merlock began pounding on the door. When he realized he couldn't open it he used his talisman to transform into a bear. 

"He's got a bear?" Seto asked when he heard the bear growl. 

'He is the bear!" Meliara said as she pressed herself toward Seto in fear. "Please" she said turning to face him. "You have to get us out of here!" 

"No!" Seto said as he put an arm around her. "We are going to stand our ground." The door made a cracking noise as Meliara grabbed the lamp from Seto. 

"I have one trick that might save us." She said as she tossed the lamp so that is landed on the glass plate that hung from the ceiling, coving the light bulb. Meliara grabbed Seto's hand as she slowly started to float. 

"Going up." She said as she and Seto turned into two small balls of light and disappeared inside the lamp. Right at that moment Merlock broke through the door. He tore through the room, looking for the lamp as Dejon appeared in the doorway. 

"I haven't found them Merlock." Dejon said as he transformed from the bear back into a human. 

"I wasn't my fault though!" he protested as Merlock cast him an annoyed look. 

"But it wasn't your either!" he added as Merlock went to the window. 

"You continue to look inside, I'll search outside. They will not escape!" he yelled as he resumed the form of an eagle and soared out the window. Dejon watched as he circled the building as he left the room. The room was quiet for a while. 

"I think they are gone." Meliara said inside the lamp. 

"Where are we?" Seto asked. 

"Sorry that is isn't very big." Meliara apologized. 

"Don't tell me that we are in the lamp!" Seto said starting to get mad. 

"Well, I know it isn't like your mansion. Could you move your elbow please?" 

"GET ME OUT OF HERE!" he yelled at her as two balls of light appeared and Seto and Meliara suddenly reappeared in the room. Meliara holding his hand. The two stared at each other for a moment before letting their hands drop. Meliara turned away blushing.

"Do you have to yell at me all the time?" she asked trying to hide her red face. 

"I wouldn't even be in this mess if it wasn't for you." He said as he pointed up toward the lamp. Meliara rolled her eyes as she retrieved the lamp. 

"And now thanks to you I have a crazy animal act on my tail."

Meliara crossed her arms as she turned her back to Seto. "That's it. Blame the genie. I only saved your life." 

Seto looked away. "Sorry." He said a little less angry. Meliara walked toward the window where Merlock had flown out of. "It's not my fault that he is after me." She said sadly. "I didn't ask to be miss popular. All I wanted to do was save my brother. Like you would Mokuba. Then I got caught and cursed to be a genie." Seto looked at her as his expression softened. 

"But what would you care?" she asked. "After all I'm not a person. I'm a thing." She said sadly. Seto took a step toward her. 

"Meliara. I didn't mean it like that." He said softly as she turned to face him. Their faces were inches apart when an eagles cry ripped through the air. 

"It's Merlock!" She said as she hugged him in fear. Seto looked at the eagle circling outside. 

"I have to get you back to the mansion. It is the only safe place. Time to go back." He said as he extended the lamp to her. 

"No, Seto please." She said backing away. 

"Sorry, but it's the only way." He said apologetically. 

"And just when you were starting to be nice." She said as she disappeared into the lamp. Seto smiled at her comment as he exited the room. 


End file.
